We have all recently seen the power of the New York Cycling Community as many of us rallied to help Damian.

In this spirit, we want to continue emphasize the good the cycling community does in our broader community and provide a means for our members to connect to relevant non-profit organization or activities.

World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit foundation established by SRAM and Trek Bicycle with a mission to provide access to independence and livelihood through the power of the bicycle. World Bicycle Relief has been named to Barron’s Top 25 List for the most effective philanthropists of 2010. The foundation has distributed more than 70,000 bikes to students, healthcare workers and entrepreneurs in Asia and Africa since 2005, improving the lives of over 700,000 people.

The efficiency of the bicycle results in a significant improvement in the quality of life and economic circumstances in the communities. These bikes can make a difference, in some cases saving 4+ hours of walking per day and allowing reallocation of that time to education and other economically productive pursuits. Bikes distributed by WBR help students get to school, connect healthcare workers to people living with HIV and AIDS in rural areas and enable farmers to carry heavy loads and get to market with their goods.

The bicycles are sourced and built on location and at a cost of approximately $134 per bicycle and locals are trained on maintenance.

For more information on World Bicycle Relief and to donate, please visit http://www.worldbicyclerelief.org/ or contact stephenmagyera@gmail.com